How did the custom of setting off firecrackers and pasting Spring Festival couplets come about?

Reasons for setting off firecrackers: There is a folk saying in China called "Open the door and set off firecrackers". That is to say, when the New Year comes, the first thing for every household to open the door is to set off firecrackers, say goodbye to the old year and welcome the new year with firecrackers, and drive away the New Year animals. The sound of firecrackers is a sign of saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new, and it is also an expression of the festive atmosphere.

Legend has it that a long time ago, there was a very fierce beast called Nian in the forest. Every year on the New Year's Eve of the twelfth lunar month, it will come out and shout, eating people and livestock. Later, when people found bamboo crackling, Nian was scared away. Later, firecrackers and paper were invented and firecrackers were used instead of firecrackers.

Special customs of the Spring Festival

1,1February 23rd/24th:

(Sacrifice the stove) (Sweep the dust) (Eat stove candy)

In China, the Spring Festival usually begins with the ritual of offering sacrifices to stoves on the 23rd or 24th of the twelfth lunar month. There is a saying that "officials, three people, four boatmen and five people", that is, the government held a ceremony to worship the stove on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, ordinary people held a ceremony to worship the stove on the 24th, and houses and boats held a ceremony to worship the stove on the 25th. After holding the sacrificial stove, they officially began to prepare for the New Year. Every year from the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month to New Year's Eve, people call it "Spring Festival".

2. Twenty-five of the twelfth lunar month:

(Connected to the Jade Emperor) (Get rid of chaos) (Zhao Tiancan) (Thousand Lights Festival)

It was not until New Year's Eve that the Kitchen God was sent to welcome him back. During this period, there is no God's jurisdiction on the earth, and many people get married under all forgiven circumstances, which is called "expelling chaos". Luannian is a special period designed by people to adjust their social life. At the end of the year, people have leisure and savings, which is a good opportunity for those who have little energy to do great things.

1February 27th/28th:

(taking a bath)

In traditional folk customs, it is necessary to concentrate on bathing and washing clothes in these two days to get rid of the bad luck of the year and prepare for the Spring Festival next year. There is a saying in Beijing that "twenty-seven washes away all diseases and twenty-eight washes away all untidiness". Taking a bath on the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month is "washing Fulu".

4. Twenty-nine of the twelfth lunar month:

(Little New Year's Eve) (New Year's Day)

The day before New Year's Eve is called "Little New Year's Eve", and people call it "Don't be old" when they visit each other. Burning incense outdoors is called "Tianxiang" and usually takes three days.

5, the twelfth lunar month:

New Year's Eve: (paste the gate) (paste the Spring Festival couplets) (keep the New Year's Eve) (eat the New Year's Eve) (set off firecrackers) [offer sacrifices to ancestors] [give lucky money]

The word "except" in "New Year's Eve" is "go; Easy; "Alternating" means that New Year's Eve means "the month is poor and the old year is exhausted". People must get rid of the old department and the old year, and next year means getting a new year. This is the last night of the Lunar New Year. Therefore, the activities in this period are centered on eliminating the old and welcoming the new, eliminating disasters and praying for blessings.